Portable electric metal melter



Feb. 21, 1933. DAMICO ET L 1,898,481

PORTABLE ELECTRIC METAL MELTER Filed April 6, 1931 iNVENTdRS A.D Hmic0,MWHiLcL w WH- Wilt-0.1:

BY Q ATTORNEY omer-"ea 21, 1933 V Umraof sures PATENT OFFICE mono nuuuoo. nu w. 1mm, am) wnman a. wmcox, or srocx'ror,

' cmronm I OBTABLE ELECTRIC METAL 'Application fled April 8, 1931. Serial Io. 588,118.

This invention relates to devices for melting metals, and particularly to one adapted to be used in connection with the melting of small quantities of metal, such as gold, silver, or

l other alloys, such as are employed in dental work, the jewelry indust and other lines.

At present, such meta are melted by means of a flame torch of one kind or another.

' The heat thus imparted to a piece of metal is 10 unevenly distributed, an oxidizing and texture changing action on the metal takes place; and if the metal is an alloy, its character is apt to be chan d. Also, the coo of a metal thus heated takes place unev y and it is '15 apt to be distorted out of the form to which it has been shaped or melted.

The rincipal object of our invention is to avoid t e ob ectionable features incident to the present method of melting metals in the 0 above named industries, by the provision of an electric hand torch so constructed, and so hooked-up to a source of ordinary lighting circuit, that the metal is heated evenl throu hout and cools in the same manner, an

25 no oxidizing of the metal or change of character of an alloy is had. 7

A further object of the invention is to construct the entire apparatus so that it is of a readil portable nature,and which can be connecte to any ordinary light socket, or outlet.

A further object of the invention is to roduce a simple and inexpensive device an yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the urpose for which it is desi ed.

2 These objects we accomplis by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the ollowing'sp'ecification and claims. a

'In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views. I

Fig. 1 is a top plan' view of ourimproved torch.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, in position to melt a small piece ofmetal.

Fig. 3 is a diagram; of the electric circuit emlployed in connection with the torch.

. eferring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, 1 de-' notes a cylindrical handle member of insulation material, from one end of which a pair of rigid rods 2 and 3 project. These rods are spaced a art diametrally of the handle and are bent' etween their ends so that their outer ends are also spaced diametrally of the 6 1 axis of the handle, but in a plane at right angles to their opposite end. This arrangement is plainly shown in Fig. 2.

At. their outer ends the rods have sleeves 4, which are disposed so that their axial lines intersect some distance below the plane of the handle, said lines also preferably having a forward and downward slant to the int of intersection as shown in Fi 1. hese sleeves carry short carbons 5, w ich are adgstably held in place by clamping screws 6.

eat radiatlng flan es 7 are mounted on and surround the rods 0 ose to the sleeves.

Rod 2 is turnable in the handle and adja; cent the forward end of the latter is provided with a short outwardly projectin finger lever 8 and which works in a circum erential slot in the handle. By this means, said rod may be turned relative to the rod 3 by afin'ger of the hand grasping the handle, and the converging ends of the carbons may be moved closer to or further away from each other, as may be necessary.

The ends of the rods 2 and 3 which are disposed inside the handle are connected with flexible cables 9 to one pair of terminals of an adjustable step-down transformer 10. The wires 11 from the other terminals of the transformer are connected to a plu 12 of ordinary character which is adapte to cooperate with the socket of an ordinary light clrcuit 13. A hand-switch 14 is interposed in one of the wires 11, as well as a fuse F- a volt-meter 15 is connected across the cab es 9. The transformer, its adjusting means, the .0 meter and switch are all mounted as a compact unit in a portable container, indicated at 16, so as to readily move from one place to another. The cables 9 between the'container and the handle 1 are enclosed in a flexible housing 17, and are of sufiicient length tainer are of suficient length to avoid the m6 necessity of said container being placed close to the connected socket The current transforming apparatus is arranged to transform the current from the 5 standard 110-V light socket down to a relatively low voltage of from 4V to 22-V, dending on the adjustment of the transorrner, from 6-V to 10-V, being the average used; at the. same time the amperage of re the light socket current is not interfered with and the entire output is available at the car- 'bons lln operation, the piece of metal 18 to be melted is placed on e small crucible 190i a material having dielectric or non-conducting properties, such as iire clay or porcelain. With the current oil-course turned on, the torch is held in the hand and the movable rod is turned so that the points 0:? the carbons ere relatively close to eech other, depending on the size of the piece of metal to be melted. The carbons are then both brought into contact with the metal, and the latter being, of course, at conductor, the circuit is closed between the carbons and the metal is almost instantly brought to the melting point, Forming as it does a. carrying part of the circuit, the metal is heated evenly; the cerhon points being adjusted relative to the size of the piece of metal. so as to engage. some substantially at its opposite edges, in this manner metal is isposed between the carbon points. The melting action is had by the direct con tact and flow of the current through the metal, without the aid of oxygen, so that no oxidizing and consequent change of texture or characterof the metal or alloy is had.

The reduced voltage of the current used in to the torch prevents the possibility of any areing between the points, while permitting the entire high amperage heat value to be retained. The low voltage also avoids the possibilit of any appreclable shock being imparts to the operator and renders the implement safe to handle.

' From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that we have reduced such a device as substantiall ful s the objects of the invention as set orth herein.

- While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from" such detail may be resorted to as do not form, a departure from the spiritof theinvention, as defined by the appended claims. v I

- Having th'usde's'cribed our invention what we claim as new anduseful and desire to no secure byLetters Patent is:

prisi a handle mmbelg'rods projecting in ace relation from one end of the handle, crrcult means-connected to the handle ends in the handle, members on the r 1 An electric metal-melting torch com 1, one;

outer ends for supporting carbons in converging relation to each other, and means applied to the turnable red at the handle for turnin the same to alter the angle of convergence 0 the carbons.

2. A structure as in claim 1, in which said handle turning means comprises a finger lever projecting radially from the portion of the turnable rod which is disposed within the handle, said handle havin a slot extendin in a plane circumferentialy of the rod end through which said lever projects.

in testimony whereof we at our signatures.

ANGER) 'DAMICU. MARK W. HELD. WKLLIAM' H.

gractically the entire width of the Hill at their 

